1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector. In particular, the present invention is directed to a female connector and a male connector that can reduce inserting and separating forces and apply sufficient contacting force to contacting elements.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an electrical device has a circuit board, cables and so forth which are arranged therein and are electrically connected to one another. In order to electrically connect the circuit boards to one another, or in order to connect the circuit boards with a plurality of conductors such as cables, an electrical connector is usually used. Generally, the electrical connector is comprised of a female connector (receptacle connector) and a male connector (plug connector) so that it is possible to fit and separate each other. The female connector has a plurality of female contacts made of elastic material within an insulating housing as a module-type connector; the male connector has a plurality of contacts that are arranged in both sides of the walls of the male portions. Generally, when these connectors are fitted with each other or separated with respect to each other, the contacts of the connectors are connected by fitting to each other. With the fitting connection, the conductors can be electrically connected or disconnected to one another. For example, the connectors are fitted to each other when the device using the connectors are assembled and is separated at necessary times for maintenance service and so forth.
This connector generally has insulating housing and one or more contacts. As the number of contacts of the connector increases, a large force is necessary for fitting or separating both connectors. Particularly, the force necessary for fitting them, that is, the insertion force is greater than the force necessary for separating them. Further, when a female connector and a male connector are fitted to each other, friction must occur. The friction causes cutting of the walls of the male portion of the male connector and the debris caused due to cutting enters the contacting portion between the contacts, thereby causing poor contact.
Further, the number of necessary contacts has recently tended to increase. The increase in the number of contacts requires the connector to have more contacts than the conventional connector. The necessity has been satisfied by providing connector assembly by serially joining a plurality of the same module-type connectors having a predetermined number of contacts along the arranging direction (referred to as xe2x80x9clengthwise directionxe2x80x9d hereinafter).
The electrical device that has a tendency that the number of necessary contacts increases employs the technique where many connector assemblies are arranged in a crosswise direction, thereby connecting many conductors to one another. In the technique, since many connectors should be inserted or separated at the same time, low insertion force becomes important and female and male connectors may collide with each other or wrong connectors may be fitted with each other.
The recent tendency has been that as the number of necessary contacts increases, it has become necessary to accurately position the contacting portions in the module-type connector having a plurality of connecting connectors. Further, as the number of connecting connectors increases, sufficient mechanical strength is required.
Further, since the recently developed connector requires more contacts than the conventional connector, the connector with lower insertion force than the conventional connector is required. In this regard, zero input force fitting disclosed by Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. Sho 59-110990 or low input force fitting disclosed by Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. Hei 5-57785 can be used. The latter technique has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture. Further, according to Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. Hei 5-57785, an additional member is inserted between the contacts of a female connector and a preliminary load is applied so that the gap between the opposing contacts grows, thereby reducing the insertion force necessary for starting the fitting male connector to female connector. However, this technique requires some elements referred to as the additional member. Further, since if many connector assemblies are arranged in the crosswise direction to be connected to one another, the insertion and separation of the many connectors should be conducted at the same time, reducing insertion force is important and it is necessary to prevent a female connector from colliding and from being fitted in a wrong connector.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector which overcomes the above issues in the related art. This object is achieved by combinations described in the independent claims. The dependent claims define further advantageous and exemplary combinations of the present invention.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, a module-type connector comprising: a plurality of connectors which have a plurality of contacts having contacting portions contacting with a corresponding terminal and a housing which holds said plurality of contacts; and a rigid supporting plate on which each of said connectors is fixed.
The plurality of contacts may be serially arranged in a lengthwise direction of the contacts and are fixed on said rigid supporting plate.
The module-type connector may further comprise a plurality of the rigid supporting plates which fix the plurality of connectors by interposing each of the plurality of connectors therebetween.
Each of said connectors may have a fastener defining position of said plurality of connectors with respect to said rigid supporting plates by fastening said rigid supporting plate with the plurality of connectors.
At least one of said plurality of connectors may have a protruding portion at an end in the lengthwise direction; wherein at least another one of said plurality of connectors may have a recess portion at an end in the lengthwise direction; wherein the plurality of connectors may be fixed by interposing a fitting portion, where said protruding portion and said recess portion may be fitted to each other, between the plurality of rigid supporting plates and by said fastener penetrating the rigid supporting plate and the fitting portion and fastening the rigid supporting plate and the fitting portion.
The rigid supporting plate has a groove or opening in a predetermined position and the plurality of connectors may have protrusions and where in the position of the plurality of connectors with respect to the rigid supporting plate may be defined by fitting the protrusion to the groove or the opening.
The rigid supporting plate may have a form of box, and wherein the position of the plurality of connectors with respect to the rigid supporting plate may be defined by having the plurality of connectors received therein.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, a connector having a plurality of contacts, each of which has a contacting portion contacting with a corresponding terminal and a first end portion, wherein the contacting portions of the plurality of contacts are shifted in the insertion direction of the corresponding terminals.
Each contact may have a second end portion that is provided in the opposing side of the first end portion and a second contacting portion that is provided in the side of the second end portion, and wherein the second contacting portions of the plurality of contacts may be shifted in the insertion direction of the corresponding terminal.
The plurality of second end portions may be shifted in the insertion direction of the corresponding terminals, and wherein the difference in the insertion direction between the level of the first end portion of a predetermined contact and the level of the first end portion of the contact adjacent to the predetermined contact may be substantially the same as the difference between the level of the second end portion of the predetermined contact and the level of the second end portion of the contact adjacent to the predetermined contact in the insertion direction.
The plurality of contacts may be disposed so as to oppose one another, and wherein the connector may further have a housing having an engagement portion that engages the first end portion of each of the contacts in the different position with respect to the insertion direction of the corresponding terminal in order to widen the gap between the contacting portions of the plurality of contacts which oppose one another.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, a connector having a plurality of contact shaving contacting portions contacting with corresponding terminals and being opposed to each other, said connector having housing having an engagement portion which engages with an end portion of each said contact in order to widen the gap between the contacting portions of the plurality of opposing contacts.
The contacting portions of the plurality of contacts may be shifted in the insertion direction of the corresponding terminals.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a connector comprising a plurality of contacts having contacting portions contacting with corresponding terminals and a supporting member supporting the plurality of contacts, the connector further comprises a protruding portion that is provided between a predetermined contact of the plurality of contacts and the contact adjacent to the predetermined contact and that protrudes from contacting surface of the plurality of contacts and the corresponding terminals.
The protruding portion may be made of the same material as the housing holding the corresponding terminal or may be made of material which is softer than the housing.
The protruding portion may be integrally formed with the supporting member.
The gap between the plurality of contacts and the supporting member may exist in the cross-sectional view of the perpendicular direction to the arranging direction of the plurality of contacts.
The plurality of contacts may be arranged back to back each other at both sides of the supporting member and wherein each of the contacts may bend toward the supporting member as it goes along the insertion direction of the connector.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, a connector comprising a plurality of contacts having contacting portions contacting with corresponding terminals and a supporting member supporting the plurality of contacts, the connector further comprises a protruding portion that is provided between a predetermined contact of the plurality of contacts and the contact adjacent to the predetermined contact and that protrudes from contacting surface of the plurality of contacts and the corresponding terminal, and wherein a gap exists between the plurality of contacts and the supporting member, the gap exists from an end to the other end of the width direction of the plurality of contacts.
The plurality of contacts may be arranged back to back each other at both sides of the supporting member and wherein each of the contacts may bend toward the supporting members as it goes along the insertion direction of the connector.
This summary of the invention does not necessarily describe all necessary features so that the invention may also be a sub-combination of these described features.